Hinge adjusting and bending tool



June 16, 1953 F, PHlPPs 2,641,946

HINGE ADJUSTING AND BENDING -TO0L Filed May 2'0, 194a INVENTOR. FW/fk A /qaps Patented June 16, 1953 OF F 1615 H NGE ADJUST G AND B D NG .TO L

Frank A. 'Bhipps, Avondale, 'Mo., assignor \to Carl B. Kruse, Kansas City, Mo.

ApplicationMay ZO, 1948, Serial'No. 28,066

(01. SI-F155) .2 Claims.

This invention relates to tools and equipment for use by automobile mechanics, and more particularly to a tool assembly to be used by the repair :man who straightens, fixes and repairs automobile bodies. More specifically, the invention has to do with a tool assembly to facilitate straightening of automobile doors through adjustments of the hinges thereof.

It is common knowledge that straightening of automobile doors is a difiicult task, since heretofore it. has been necessary, in almost every instance, to entirely remove the door from the automobile body and adjust the vhinge either on the door or after removal thereof from the door. The hinge is thereupon replaced, the door again mounted upon the body and a test made by moving the door to and 'from the closed position to determine whether or not the hinge has been accuratelyadjusted, to the end that the door will fit and operate as intended.

If the adjustment that'was made tothe hinge is not correct, then the entirecycle of operations must he repeated. The adjustment of the hinge is usually a bending operation at given points therealong, and it is diilicult, if not almost impossible, to know exactly how much bending is necessary to provide a proper fit for the door. If the bending of the hinge is too great in one direction, the door will hang downwardly at its free end and remote'from the hinge, and, if thebending is too great "in the opposite direction, .the door will project-upwardly at an improper angle.

Consequently, when an automobile door becomes misshapen, either through accident or through long use, the automobile owner can expect .a relatively large repair bill because of the tedious and difficult operation necessary on the part of the mechanic in readjustir g such damaged door or hinge.

Accordingly, ,it is the .most important object of this invention to provide a tool assembly capable, when placed in use and utilized in the manner hereinafter described, to adjust, straighten and/or bend an automobile door hinge to a point where the door itself will accurately fit ,as designed without the necessity of removing such door from its mounting.

character capable of adjusting .automobile..-do,or

hinges without removal of the door, said .as-

.sembly operating :as a wedge or iu'lcrum member and automatically ,ne-shaping the .hinge itself as the door is manually moved either tothereof.

2 ward orawa-yirom the closed position, depending upon what adjustment is needed in the hinge.

Other objects of this invention relate to details'of construction of the tools themselves together with their manneref use, all of which will become clear as the following specification progresses, reference "being had to the accompanying -draw-ing, wherein:

Fig. -1 is aperspective view showing part of one of the units forming the hinge adjusting tool assembly made in accordance with the present invention and --illustrating the same in operative use on an automobile door.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view similar to Fig. 1, showing the other unit of the hinge adjusting tool assembly in operative use.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary cross sectional view taken on line IIIIII of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary cross sectional view taken on line I VIV of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one of the units, per se, of the assembly; and

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the other unit The two units forming the tool assembly capable of straightening automobile door hinges, while "the door itself remains mounted, are shown in Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawing and designated broadly by the numerals l0 and i2 respectively. The unit 10 is substantially U- shaped and includes an elongated rod l4 serving as the handle thereof. 'The ends of this rod M are each provided with a head, one of these heads being designated by the numeral ['6 and-the other headby the numeral 18.

Thesejheads are both substantially T-sha-ped, head l6 having *a stem 20 and a pair of legs 22 and 2-4 extending laterally and in opposite directions from that end of stem '20 -opposite to the handle portion [4 of the tool 1 0. This head I6 is pref erably formed integrally with the handle hi, the stem 20 thereof being substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of handle J4 andthe legs 22 and 24 being perpendicular to the vlongitudinal axis of stem 20 of head .16.

Head ['6 and handle portion ['4 of the tool It] haveflformed thereon adjacent their point of interconnection a on the ou erm e of said area of said interconnection, .a pair .of shoulders ,25 and 2-8 respectively. The shoulder 26.is disposed on the stem 2,0 ofhead .IJB while th sshoulder 5 adjacent t handl po t on [4. The face of shoulder 26 is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of legs 22 and 24 and also parallel with a plane through the longitudinal axis of handle 14. Consequently, this face of shoulder 26 is also substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of stem 20. Shoulder 28 is spaced from the shoulder 26, has its face' substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of handle I4 and its face is substantially parallel to a plane through the longitudinal axes of the legs 22 and 24 of head I6.

The head I8 as aforementioned is formed substantially the same as the head I6 with the exception only that a single shoulder 30 is formed thereon at the point of merger between the stem portion of head I8 and the handle I4. Position of this shoulder 38 is different from that of shoulder 26 and shoulder 28 with respect to the handle I4 and ifformed adjacent the head I6 would be disposed intermediate the shoulders 26 and 28, all for purposes hereinafter more fully set forth. 7

The unit I2 of the tool assembly is also substantially U-shaped and its bight portion forms a handle 32. The legs 34 and 36 of the tool I2 extend laterally in the same direction from handle 32 and are substantially parallel. Handle 32 is relatively thin at its ends adjacent the heads or legs 34 and 36, the width of this handle 32 progressively decreasing as the respective heads 34 or 36 are approached. These relatively thin portions of the handle 32 are defined by a pair of opposed sides 38 adjacent the head 34 and by a pair of fiat opposed sides 46 connecting with the head 36. As clearly illustrated in Fig. 6 of the drawing, the width of the heads 34 and 36 adjacent the portions 38 and 40 thereof respectively, is greater than the distance between the above mentioned flat portions of the handle 32. These heads 34 and 36 are of identical character but may be varied particularly in size to suit conditions.

A flat shoulder 4| is formed on one end of each of the heads 34 and 36, said shoulders being in the same plane and parallel with a plane through the longitudinal axis of handle 32. Heads 34 and 36 each have a substantially wedgeshaped leg 42 presenting a polygonal outermost free end having a face preferably parallel with the face of shoulder 4I thereof.

The use of the two units I and I2 of the tool assembly is clearly set forth in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive of the drawing. Figs. 1 and 3 illustrate the manner of using tool I8 upon a door hinge while Figs. 2 and 4 indicate the manner of placing unit I2 of the assembly in use. In Figs. 1 and 2 an automobile door 44 having a hinge 46 is illustrated operably mounted upon body 48 of an automobile. The tool assembly has been produced for straightening many types of automobile hinges commonly used with the present day automobile. This hinge 46 constitutes a substantially L-shaped bracket 49 having one leg thereof mounted upon the door 44 by means of screws 41. This one leg of the bracket 49 extends laterally beyond the innermost edge of the door 44 and passes through a polygonal opening 59 formed in the body 48 of the automobile and communicates with a hollow well 52.

This well 52 is defined by the walls of the body 48 and is reinforced by relatively rigid bars 54 and 56. These bars 54 and 56 usually extend vertically within the body 48 passing through the wells 52 of the hinge assemblies and are disposed adjacent the opening 52 in opposed rela- 4 tionship as clearly illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4. The other leg of the bracket forming the hinge 46 has a pair of opposed pintles 58 journaled in openings (not shown) formed in the uppermost and bottom Wall defining well 52.

This pivotal mounting of the hinge 46 is spaced inwardly from the opening 50 of well 52 and adacent the outermost wall of body 43. For the most part, doors 44 of present day automobiles become maladjusted because of improper use or accidents causing a deforming of the particular angularity of the bracket 49 forming hinge 46. In other words, this angularity is contemplated to be as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4 when the hinge assemblies 46 are produced, to the end that door 44 will fit tightly as contemplated. If such angularity is not maintained, then the door will either sag or project upwardly or not fit tightly within the opening which it should close. Since straightening of the doors can in most cases be accomplished by simply bending the bracket 49 back to the original position, the units I6 and I2 of the tool assembly are placed in use to bear against such bracket 49 to produce such bending force upon the hinge assembly 46. The unit I0 extends into the well 52 through the opening 58 when placed in use to one side of the bracket 49 when door 44 is partially open. The legs 22 and 24 bear flatly against the bar or plate 54 and either the shoulder 26 or 28 is brought to bear against the bracket 49.

As clearly illustrated in Fig. 3, the head I6 of tool I0 spans the distance between plate 54 and the bracket 49. The shoulder 28 of this tool I0 is shown as engaging bracket 49 at the point of merger between the two legs thereof. Since this point of merger is substantially at right-angle interconnection, the shoulder 28 fits snugly in place. When the tool I0 is so positioned as illustrated in Fig. 3, the operator moves door 44 inwardly as indicated by the arrow in said Fig. 3 to move hinge bracket 49 tightly against the head I6 of tool I0. Since the legs 22 and 24 of head I6 are bearing against the plate 54, continuous movement of door 44 causes a bending of that leg of bracket 49 which is attached to the door 44. The head I6 serves as a fulcrum preventing further rotation of the bracket 49 on pintles 58 and thereby prevents movement of that leg of bracket 49 having pintles 58 formed thereon. Consequently, the only bending action that takes place is between the screws 41 on door 44 and the head I6 of tool II).

It is now readily apparent that either the shoulder 26, the shouler 28 or the shoulder 30 of the tool I0 may be used and when straightening of the door 44 takes place, one or all of such shoulders may be used depending on the extent and type of bending action that is necessary in the bracket 49 to put the door 44 back in its original condition. In the event that the bending action in the bracket 49 must be opposite to that made possible through use of the tool ID, the unit I2 of the assembly is placed in use in the manner illustrated in Figs. 2 and 4. In this case, the head 34 or head 36 of the tool I2 is used and'such head is also positioned within the well 52 by passing the same through opening 58 thereof. The shoulder M of tool I2 rests directly upon the plate 56 of body 58 whereas the fiat end of leg 42 bears directly against the bracket 49. This end of leg 42 may be disposed in a number of different positions between the point of merger between the legs of bracket 49 and the screws 41 depending on the type of bend that is needed. Here again, this head34 or 36 serves to prevent further rotationof the bracket 49 upon pintles 58 thereof when the door 44 is moved outwardly toward the open position as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 4.v Likewise, that leg of the bracket 49 having pintles 58 thereon, will be held against movement as the door 44 is thus moved outwardly.

Obviously, when the operator places the tools in use, he need only hold the handle [4 or 32 respectively with one hand while manipulating the door 44 with the other hand. This holding of the tools or I 2 is not diificult since the legs 22 and 24 in the case of tool 10, resting upon the plate 54 prevent tipping of the tool and 4| formed on the tool 12 will also prevent such tippingaction when force is' applied thereto. In either case, the heads of the respective tools serve as a fulcrum when the door 44 is moved either inwardly or outwardly as the case may be. As illustrated in Fig. 2, the faces 38 and 40 of the handle portion 32 of tool l2 permits the insertion of tool I2 into the well 52 between either the uppermost edge or lowermost edge of opening 50 thereof and the proximal edge of bracket 49. 7

It has been found through actual use of the two tools I0 and I2 that automobile doors such as that shown at 44 in the drawing, can be effectively and quickly straightened without removing such door from its mounting. If one of the two tools [0 or 12 is first used to bend the bracket 49 in one direction and such bending is too great, then it is a simple matter to switch tools and rebend the bracket 48 in the opposite direction to a point where door 44 will fit snugly as it should. Either of the tools may be used to control the extent of such bend, the

tool 10 being versatile because of the shoulders 26, 28 and 39 thereon whereas the tool I2 may be used in a number of difierent positions along the normally innermost face of bracket 49. It is appreciated that these two units of the tool assembly can be easily and inexpensively manu prising an L-shaped member having an elongated leg presenting a handle and a relatively short,

elongated working leg, the ends of the short leg being flat and parallel, that end of the short leg proximal to the handle being in a plane passing through the handle in parallelism to the longitudinal axis thereof and perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the shortlleg, there being an elongated head on the member at the outermost angle between the legs of the member, the'longitudinal face of the head being outwardly arched and extending from the said fiat end of the short leg proximal to the handle in a direction toward that end of the handle opposite to the short leg, terminating in an edge spaced from the handle. I

2. As an article of manufacture, a hinge-adjusting tool comprising an elongated rod having a head on one end thereof, said head being T-shaped presenting a stem having one end thereof integral with the rod and the opposite end thereof provided with a pair of opposed, laterally extending legs, the outermost faces of said legs being fiat, there being a. flat shoulder on said stem adjacent said one end of the latter parallel with said fiat faces of the legs and substantially in a plane through the longitudinal axis of the rod; and an arcuate projection on said head provided with a shoulder perpendicular to said axis of the rod and to the first mentioned shoulder, the projection being adjacent the point of merger between the rod and the stem and joining with the first mentioned shoulder, the shoulder of said projection facing the opposite end of the rod.

' FRANK A. PHIPPS.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 90,704 Tuttle June 1, 1869 530,252 White Dec. 4, 1894 1,162,681 Bush Nov. 30, 1915 1,408,561 Carman Mar. 7, 1922 1,464,942 King Aug. 14, 1923 1,656,104 Dunbar Jan. 10, 1928 1,736,585 Fehlhaber Nev. 19, 1929 1,783,077 Ferguson Nov. 25, 1930 1,783,078 Ferguson Nov. 25, 1930 1,846,933 Barnes Feb. 23, 1932 1,883,684 Garret Oct. 18, 1932 2,311,789 Taylor Feb. 23, 1943 2,485,489 Ferguson 0017.18, 1949 

